Manufacture of venetian blinds



.May 14, 1940. 4 c, PIER 2,200,605

MANUFACTURE OF VENETIAN BLINDS Filed Sept. 19, 1955 6 Sheets-Sheet l III INVENTOI $3 R BER T C IDIEFPCE m awul fi ATTORNEY.

y 14, 19405 R. c. PIERCE v 2.200.605

MANUFACTURE OF VENETIAN BLINDS Filed Sept. 19, 1935 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 .57 3 I! v I I l I i O: 'i 50H 54- 4 ATTORNEY.

y 1 R. c. PIERCE 2,200,605

' MANUFACTURE or VENETIAN BLINDS Filed Sept. 19, 1935 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 PI g. 7

I INVE'NTOR. ROBERT C l /ERCE W E me (F! 12:

ATTCRNEY.

y 14, 1940- R. c. PIERCE 2.200.605

I MANUFACTURE OF VENETIAN BLINDS Filed Sept. 1'9, 1935 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENT OR.

Fi I2 I ROB/EFPTCHEPCE v D n ATTORNEY.

y R. c. PIERCE 2,200,605

MANUFACTURE VENETIAN BLINDS Filed Sept. 19', 1935 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENT OR. R055? T C. P/EPCE ATTORNEY.

. BY QM Ma 14, 1940. R, R E 2,209,605

MANUFACTURE OF VENETIAN BLINDS,

Filed Sept. 19, 1935 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 ATTORNEYS.

Patented Ma 14, 1940 2,200,605

MANUFACTURE OF VENETIAN BLINDS Robert C. Pierce, Niles, Micln, assignor to National Standard Company, Niles, ,Micln, a cornotation of Michigan Application September 19, 1935, Serial No. 41,199 4 Claims. 01. 153-42) This invention relates to the manufacture of Venetian blinds or the like, and more especially to the manufacture of the slats forming the transverse elements or shutters of the blinds.

material. However, his sometimes better to omit the cutting step in this sequence, making the material up in long lengths'which can be stored on reels or the like and cut into sections or slats of the required length when wanted. Various An object of the invention is to provide a durimportant subcombinations embodied in this ap- 5 able lightweight and inexpensive slat or the like paratus are hereinafter described in detail. having a very attractive appearance, and which The above and other objects and features of is preferably translucent. Having these requiremy invention, including various novel combinaments in mind, instead of using wood or woodtions and arrangements in the parts of the aplike materials, I construct the slats of wire tapes, paratus, and sequences of steps in the method 10 preferably braids in" which the full strength of of manufacture, as well as advantageous features all of the wires is utilized by continuing them of the finished product, will be apparent from throughout the length of the slats. These tapes the following description of the manner of manare formed with relatively large spaces between ufacture carried out on the apparatus shown in p the wires, for example by expanding a wire braid the accompanying drawings, in which: 15 widthwise, and thesespaces may be bridged by Figure l is a side elevation of one form of apa film of coating material (preferably applied by paratus, with the coating tank omitted; dipping) which also serves to cover and protect Figure 2 is a top plan view of the working parts the wires. Some of the advantages of the invenof the apparatus of Figure 1, with the coating tion, however, are obtainable with a preformed tank in place; I 20 film which is bound or otherwise secured over Figure 3 is a side elevation of the means for one face of the slat. v expanding the braid widthwise;

This material, when applied as a coating which Figure 4 is a top plan view of the spreading is formed in place, may be applied in several means shown in Figure 3; coats, of different colorsif desired, so that (for Figure 5 is a perspective view of the means for example) it may appear as three different colors binding the edges of the expanded braid; when viewed from one side or the other by re- Figure 6 is an elevation of the rolls which flected light and when viewed by transmitted crimp the sheet metal strip on the edge of the light. expanded braid;

I prefer to bind the edges of the expanded Figure 7 is a plan view of the rolls which fold 30 braid, for example by'crimping strips of sheet thestrip ready to bind the edge of the expanded metal thereon as it leaves the expanding rolls. braid;

As the coating step comes at a later stage, the Figure 8. is a plan view of a piece'of braid bebinding so formed on the edges is covered and fore t is expanded;

3;, protected by the coating material. However, if Figure 9 is a plan view ofthe braid after it a preformed film is used, the binding may adhas been expanded, one end of it'being shown vantageously be utilized to secure it-to the braid. bound;

While the full advantages of the invention are Figure 10 is a section on the line Ill-l0 'of best obtained by utilizing an expanded braid, a Figure 9;

somewhat cheaper article suitable for many pur- Figure 11 is a plan view of a finished slat or 40 poses can sometimes be made bycutting blanks shutter; i from woven wire cloth, preferably diagonally Figure 12 is a diagram showing another way thereof so that the meshes give a diamond apof applying the coating material; pearance, and. binding the ragged edges as de- Figure 13 is a section on the line l3l3 of sc bed bOV In this Case the pp a ing Figure 14 of an alternatively-usable mechanism 45 is of special advantage in giving a continuous for cutting the braid into sections; impervious coating protecting the wire mesh'and Figure 14 is a side elevation of the cutting the bindings on its ragged edges. mechanism of Figure "-13; r

The various mechanisms utilized in making Figure. 15 is a perspective view corresponding the novel translucent shutters or slats may, if to Figure 5, but showing a preformed film being 5 desired, advantageously be embodied in a uniassociated with the'braid; tary apparatus which first expands the braid, Figure 16 is a diagrammatic plan view show- "then binds the edges, then cuts in sections of the ing the cutting of blanks from woven wire cloth;

required length, and also supplies the coating and Figure 17 is a plan view corresponding to Fig- 55 ure 9 but showing the article made from wire cloth.

The apparatus shown in Figure 1 is intended to receive and operate on a wire tape I0, preferably of the structure shown in Figure 8 with interbraided wires I2 running the full length.

- metal parts 20 (Figure 11), thecoating material is applied, and suitable openings 22 are out therein to form a finished shutter part or slat 24 shown in Figure 11. g

When the apparatus shown in Figure 1 is used, the braid I0 is fed from the reel I4 by rolls 26, (see also Figures 3 and 4), which may be connected by pinions 28 if desired, and which are driven by a sprocket chain or the like 30 passing over a sprocket 32. The chain 30 is shown as driven by a pinion 34 connected through suitable speed reducing gearing 36 to an electric motor or other source of power 38.

The speed reducing gearing 36 also drives a pinion 40 which operates a sprocket chain 42 driving a sprocket 44 positively rotating two rolls 46 'which are driven more slowly than the rolls 26, and which are shown as drivably interconnected by means such as pinions 48.

The upper rolls 26 and 46 are shown in Figure 3 as mounted in vertically-slidable blocks 50 guided by supports 5i carried by the frame and adjustably urged downwardly by springs 52 backed up by setscrews54 carried by i'igid arms 56 mounted on the machine frame. The supports 5| for rolls 26 may be adjusted toward and from the rolls 46 by utilizing suitable series of openings 58 formed for that purpose.

Since rolls 46 are driven more slowly than rolls 26, the tape I0 is forced to shorten between the rolls. In order to insure that this shortening will take place by spreading the wires widthwise, and to obviate possible buckling, the braid or other wire tape I0 is fed from the rolls 26 between parallel fixed guide plates 60. Figure 4 shows how the braid is thus spread widthwise into an open fabric 62.

The expanding mechanism described above is claimed in my application No. 74,844, filed April 17, 1936, which is a partial continuation of the present application.

The fabric 62 so produced may, if the edges are to be bound as is usually the case, next be led between guides 64 to two pairs of crimping rolls 66 (see Figures 5 to 7) on parallel shafts 68 interconnected by means such as pinions I0 and driven by a sprocket orthe like I2 operated by a chain 14 driven through the speed reducing gearing 36 by the motor 38.

A strip ofsheet metal 16 may be led from a spool I8, one on each side of the fabric strip 62, through guide rollers 80 and between forming rollers 82 which fold it to a U -section, thence between a second pair of guide rollers 84 and over a roll 86 to the crimping rolls 66, which compress it I to bind theedge of the strip 62 and form the binding [8.

The forming rolls 82 are of the shape shown in I pinions 94.

82. The shafts 92 are shown interconnected by The shafts 82 may be urged yieldingly together by a spring or the like 96. The various parts may be made adjustable for strips of different widths, by being mounted on supports 98 secured by bolts I00 111' slots I02.

The boundstrip is then shown as passing over a support or table I04 until the end engages a trip I06 of an air valve I08, admitting compressed air to a cylinder H0 and forcing downwardly a knife II2 which cuts off a section of the length desired for one shutter or slat.

These sections are picked up by fingers II4 on conveyor chains H6, and carried crosswise of their length through a bath II8 of coating material described below, and to or through a suitable drier (not shown).

As shown in Figure 12, if the strip is to be stored on a reel until wanted, and then cut to length on order, it may be led lengthwise through a coating bath 2I8. Suitable feed rolls 220 may be provided for feeding the coated strip to a drier, or directly to a reel if itis to be dried thereon.

Figures 13 and 14 show an alternative cutting mechanism which may be used if the sections are to fall into a suitable container instead of bein carried away by a conveyor. In this arrangement the motor 38 and gearing 36 drive, through a suitable chain, a sprocket or the like I30 which rotates a worm I32 driving a worm wheel I34 keyed on a shaft I36. The shaft I36 has keyed thereto a flanged sleeve I38, and has loosely sleeved thereon an arm I40 carrying a knife I42. A stifi torsion spring I 44 sleeved about the axis of shaft I36 is connected at one end to the flange ofsleeve I38 and at its other end to arm I40.

Arms I46, forming part of the machine frame, carry a guide I48 for a plunger i50 having at one end a stop I52 which is normally in the path of arm I 40. This plunger is periodically retracted by a spring I54 when permitted by a cam I56 keyed orrthe end of shaft I36.

In operation, during most of one revolution of shaft I36 the arm I40 is held by stop I52, and spring I44 is tensioned by the turning of sleeve I38. When the low point of cam I56 is reached, the stop I52 is withdrawn by the spring I54, and the spring I44 suddenly swings the arm I40 to carry the knife I42 around to cooperate with a stationary cutter I60 to cut a section from the v strip 62.

, The coating material may be any suitable material which can be mixed up with a solvent to such a consistency that it will form a film covering the wires and the edge binding and bridging across the spaces between the wires, and which will dry to form a tough, thin, translucent, durable film. One example might be: 106 lbs. cellulose acetate or nitrate, 27 gallons'toluol, 13 gallons butyl acetate, 4 gallons butyl alcohol, and 2 gallons dibutyl phthalate. Or a simple solution of nitrocellulose in butyl lactate may be used-sufficient of the solvent being used to make a solution as thin as will bridge across the spaces between the wires. Various other commercial lacquers may be used, consisting of various mixturesof cellulose nitrate or acetate with a plasticizer or a resin or both, and a solvent such as butyl lactate, butyl alcohol, ether, acetone, and

the like.

The shutter or slat so ,made, after the drying of the translucent film, may if desired be additionally treated by brushing or spraying or otherwise applying on one or both of its sides a further,

coat containing, for example, cellulose acetate applied in various patterns or figures.

and a pigment or dye or other coloring material, with a relatively small amount of solvent which is driven off in drying.

By selecting these outer coatings of suitable different colors, the shutter will appear one color on one side (viewed by reflected-light) and a different (reflected) color on the other side, and

will be of still a different '(combination) color when viewed by transmitted light. This makes possible many and various pleasing effects. I If desired, the shutter may be provided with differently colored intermediate films of the same type of materials. These are not visible from either side by reflected light, but modify the color of the transmitted light. Such intermediate coatings may be of one solid color, or may be In some cases these intermediate coatings may be merely a solution of coloring material in a solvent such as butyl lactate. The above described slat and method of making the same are claimed in my co-pending application Serial No. 129,296, filed March 6, 1937 which is a division of this application.

Figure 15 shows how a separate preformed film I10 of cellulose acetate or similar material, may be fed from a reel I12, and associated with one face of the expanded braid 62 by passing both over a guide roller H4 or the like. Theedge bindings l8 in this case serve the additional function of securing the film and the braid. together.

The slat so formed is claimed as an article of manufacture in my application No. 62,405, filed February 5, 1936, Patent No. 2,156,163, granted April 25, 1939, which is a partial continuation of the present application.

For some purposes, satisfactory shutters may be made by cutting blanks 2l2 (Figure 16) from a web 262 of woven wire cloth the wires tilt of which are associated by weaving instead of braidin as appears in Figure 17. I prefer to cut the blanks diagonally, so that the spaces l6 have a diamond appearance. In this case the edge bindings l8 have an additional function (see Figure 17) in covering and protecting the ragged edge formed by cutting the wires 3l2. It is best to use the dipped coating for this form of shutter, as it forms a continuous impervious protection for the binding l8 for the ragged edges of the wire tape or blank, which extends integrally over the wires 3|! and bridges the spaces l6.

While a particular method and preferred apparatus have been 'describedin detail, it is not my intention to limitthe scope of my invention by that description, or otherwise than by the terms of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for making shutters or the like comprising means for feeding a tape of braided wire made up of metal wires each extending thefull length of the tape and which are carried alternately over and under each other diagonally of the tape and which bend back across the tape at the edges thereof, means for spreading the wires of the braid to form relatively large spaces between them, means for feeding a pre-formed film against one face of said tape, and means for applying bindings to the edges of the associated tape and film to secure them together and to hold the wires in place.

2. Apparatus for making Venetian blinds or the like comprising a pair of driven rollers for feeding a flat braided wire tape, a second pair of rollers spaced from the first pair and driven at a lower speed to expand the tape, means for feeding a preformed film against one face of the expanded tape, means for feeding a strip of sheet metal alongside the expanded tape and film and means for crimping the strip over the edges of the tape and film to bind them together.

3. The method of making shutters for blinds or the like which comprises forming a fiat tape of braided wires made up of metal wires each extending the full length of the tape and which are carried alternately over and under each other diagonally of the tape and which bend back across the tape at the edges thereof, expanding the tape to form relatively large spaces between the wires, feeding a preformed film against one face of the expanded tape, and binding the edges of the tape and film together to hold the wires in place and to secure the film to the tape.

4. The method of making shutters for blinds or the like which comprises forming a fiat tape of braided wires made up of metal wires each extending the full length of the tape and which are carried alternately over and under each other diagonally of the tape and which bend back across the tape at the edges thereof, expanding the tape to form relatively large spaces between the wires binding the edges of the tape by pressing strips around the tape. edges to engage each of the wires on opposite sides of the tape to hold the wires in place and, associating a film of material with said tape in intimate contact-with the wires of the tape and with the binding to bridge across said spaces.

ROBERT C. PIERCE. 

